King County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
King County has experienced 35 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very High — among the most at-risk counties in the country.
King County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, inland flooding, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. King County has been designated in 35 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including flood (17), severe storm (11), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Fire | Bolt Creek Fire |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 35 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 79.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very High | 99.5 | 1 | 0 | $474K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 71 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very High | 99.9 | 31 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 73.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 91.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 99 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 99.3 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Relatively Low | 67.7 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively High | 97.4 | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
King County ranks in the 38th percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 38th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 19th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 5th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 82nd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 88th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 60th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 65th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 14.8% | — |
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in King County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in King County, Washington are earthquake, inland flooding, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very High — among the most at-risk counties in the country.
Has King County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. King County has received 35 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (17 declarations).
Has King County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for King County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does King County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pierce County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Island County, WA has the lowest (Relatively Low). King County is rated Very High overall.
How is King County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
King County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. King County's composite score of 100 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 100% of US counties.